Dispensing device for flowable material

ABSTRACT

Apparatus: for dispensing free-flowing product in a bag, the latter containing a supply chamber ( 16 ), an apportioning chamber ( 17 ), a through-passage ( 18 ) between the chambers ( 16, 17 ) and an outlet channel ( 19 ) and being capable of being suspended in the dispensing apparatus ( 1 ). A squeezing device ( 3 ) of the dispensing apparatus ( 1 ) contains an abutment wall ( 10 ), against which the bag ( 2 ) butts, and hand-actuated pressure-exerting parts, including a hand lever ( 30 ) and a pressure-exerting pivoting part ( 33 ), which clamp in the bag ( 2 ) in the region of the apportioning chamber ( 17 ) and squeeze it out in the direction of the outlet channel ( 19 ).

[0001] The invention relates to an apparatus for dispensing free-flowing product in a bag having the features of the preamble of claim 1.

[0002] A dispensing apparatus of the type mentioned in the preamble is known from PCT WO 95/23546. Portions of liquid substance are pressed out of the bag, which contains a supply chamber and an apportioning chamber, which are connected to one another by a through-passage. The outlet channel is of self-sealing design and is opened by an inwardly directed pressure which is exerted by a pivotably mounted plate when a pressure-exerting element is pressed onto the metering chamber by means of a lever. In this design, there are pivotable supporting plates for the apportioning chamber which are supported resiliently on the housing rear wall, and there is a hand-actuated angle lever as pressure-exerting element in order to press onto the apportioning chamber and squeeze out the free-flowing product through the outlet channel.

[0003] The object of the invention is to provide a simplified design of the dispensing apparatus which, moreover, does not require a self-sealing outlet channel.

[0004] The set object is achieved on the basis of the features of claim 1 and is developed further by the additional features of the dependent claims.

[0005] Use is made of a bag with free-flowing product, which may be, for example, washing lotions, in particular having antimicrobial properties, care lotions and disinfectants. The product bag comprises two sheets which have an upside-down bottle- or pear-shaped outline and are welded to one another at their borders and over surface areas. There are formed in this case a top surface-area fastening strip with two snap fasteners, two central surface-area constricting locations for forming a through-passage between a top supply chamber and a bottom apportioning chamber, and two bottom surface-area constricting locations for forming an outlet channel. The bag is distinguished in that the bottom constricting locations have approximately rhomboidal surface areas, the larger base side of the rhombus being located on the outside of the bag and the smaller base side being adjacent to the outlet channel. The oblique sides of the rhombus lead in a funnel-shaped manner in the direction of the outlet channel. The bottom surface-area constricting locations, moreover, have snap fasteners for fastening the bag on an abutment wall of the dispensing apparatus.

[0006] The dispensing apparatus itself contains a squeezing device, which is formed from the abutment wall and hand-actuated pressure-exerting parts. These hand-actuated pressure-exerting parts contain a hand lever, which is mounted such that it can be pivoted about a first axis, and a pressure-exerting pivoting part, which is mounted about a second axis. The pressure-exerting pivoting part is arranged in a pivotable manner at a predetermined distance from the abutment wall, a wedge-shaped interspace being formed in the process. In the starting position, the wedge is wide at the top and narrow at the bottom, with the result that the bag, which hangs with its apportioning chamber in the wedge-shaped interspace, is kept closed in the bottom region at the outlet opening by the wedge narrowing.

[0007] Upon actuation of the hand lever, the pressure-exerting pivoting part is displaced such that the conditions at the wedge-shaped interspace reverse: the top end of the interspace tapers in a wedge-shaped manner and the Bottom end widens in a funnel-like manner. By virtue of this operation, the quantity of product enclosed in the apportioning chamber is squeezed out of the outlet opening.

[0008] When the hand lever is released, the conditions reverse again, that is to say the interspace between the pressure-exerting pivoting part and abutment wall once again takes on a downwardly tapering shape, as a result of which the outlet is closed and the free-flowing product flows down thereafter from the supply region into the apportioning region.

[0009] The invention will be described with reference to the drawing, in which:

[0010]FIG. 1 shows a perspective illustration of the dispensing apparatus, partly in section,

[0011]FIG. 2 shows a simplified section through the dispensing apparatus with the housing cover open,

[0012]FIG. 3 shows the dispensing apparatus with the housing cover closed,

[0013]FIG. 4 shows the dispensing device during discharge of a portion of product,

[0014]FIG. 5 shows an empty bag,

[0015]FIG. 6 shows a product bag, as seen from the side, and

[0016]FIG. 7 shows a side view of the dispensing apparatus with a variant of the housing cover open.

[0017] The dispensing apparatus has a housing 1, for accommodating a product bag 2 (FIG. 6), and a squeezing device 3, which is illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 4.

[0018] The housing 1 comprises a housing rear wall 4 and a swing-action cover 5, which can be swung down about a horizontal axis 6 at the bottom border of the rear wall 4, as can best be seen from FIG. 2. In a variant of the housing, it is also possible for the cover to be pivoted about a lateral axis. It is also possible to swing it upward. In the open position of the cover, a product bag 2 can be hung in the unit, for which reason there are snap fasteners 7 on the unit bag and mating snap fasteners 8 on the housing rear wall 4. It is possible for the mating snap fasteners to be integrated firmly in the wall 4 or to be exchangeable. Moreover, the unit rear wall has a jutting-out portion 9 for providing an abutment wall 10, on which there are fitted further mating snap fasteners 11, which interact with snap fasteners 12 of the product bag 2. The jutting-out portion 9, with abutment wall 10, may also be formed by an extra part which is fastened on the rear wall 4.

[0019] The product bag 2 is produced from two sheet-material blanks 2 a, 2 b, as can best be seen from FIG. 5. The sheet-material blanks are welded to one another at the border and also at surface-area locations which have been hatched in FIG. 5. This forms a top surface-area weld location 13 as a fastening strip, in which the snap fasteners 7 are seated, as well as two central surface-area constricting weld locations 14 and two bottom surface-area constricting weld locations 15. The supply chamber 16 is located between the surface-area weld locations 13 and 14 and the apportioning chamber 17 is located between the surface-area weld locations 14 and 15. A through-passage 18 is formed between the constricting weld locations 14 and the outlet 19 is formed between the constricting weld locations 15.

[0020] The surface-area shape of the sections 15 is largely rhomboidal, with the larger base wall on the outside and the smaller base wall on the inside, along the channel 19. Oblique sides 20 of the rhombus lead in the direction of the outlet channel 19, which aids the operation of product flowing out without leaving any residues.

[0021] The squeezing device 3 comprises a hand lever 30 which is mounted such that it can be pivoted about an axis 31, of which the ends are seated in bearing blocks 32 of the housing cover 5. The squeezing device 3 also comprises a pressure-exerting pivoting part 33 which is mounted such that it can be pivoted about the axis 34, of which the ends are seated in bearing blocks 35. A helical spring or bent spring 36 is clamped between the bearing block 35 and pressure-exerting pivoting part 33 in order to prestress the latter in the counterclockwise direction in FIG. 3. The pressure-exerting pivoting part 33 is designed in the form of a non-symmetrical spindle in cross section and has a largely planar, slightly curved side 37 (FIG. 2) and a side 38 which is curved to a more Pronounced extend, the two sides meeting at a bottom nose-like end 39 and tapering to an increasingly thin top end 40. The material of the pressure-exerting pivoting part is selected such that the increasingly thin end 40 forms an elastic lip. The axis 34 is located in the central thickened part 41 and at such a distance from the abutment wall 10 that an interspace is formed between the side 37 of the pressure-exerting pivoting part 33 and the abutment wall 10. In the starting position of the dispensing apparatus, the space 42 tapers in a wedge-shaped manner in the direction of the nose 39 or the pressure-exerting pivoting part (FIG. 3). It thus follows the natural shape of the apportioning chamber 17, of which the outlet channel 19 is kept closed by the nose 39.

[0022] It is also possible for the pressure-exerting pivoting part to be constructed from a plurality of elements, for example the lip 40 may be produced from elastomeric material and be inserted into a relatively rigid plastic element 41.

[0023] The hand lever 30 has an actuating continuation 30 a which can push onto the central part 41 of the pressure-exerting pivoting part 33 in order to pivot the latter in the clockwise direction counter to the action of the spring 36 (FIG. 4). The conditions at the interspace 42 then reverse: the lip 40 bends back continuously and squeezes together the top region of the apportioning chamber 17, while the bottom region of the apportioning chamber widens. The interspace then takes on the downwardly widening shape 44 which is illustrated in FIG. 4.

[0024] The product located in the apportioning chamber 17 is squeezed out of the outlet opening 19 and discharged. The user will then release the lever 30, whereupon, as a result of the force of the spring 36, the pressure-exerting pivoting part 33 returns into the position illustrated in FIG. 3, in which the nose 39 closes the outlet channel 19 of the bag 2.

[0025] It can thus be appreciated that straightforward means achieve a dispensing action from the bag 2 and the outlet channel is closed reliably once a portion of the product has been discharged. The dispensing mechanism is of extremely straightforward construction and is functionally reliable. It is possible to use a straightforwardly constructed product bag which does not require its own sealing means when the outlet channel is open because this outlet channel is blocked by the dispensing apparatus as soon as the dispensing action has been completed.

[0026] A further advantage of the novel dispensing apparatus resides in the straightforward method of attaching the product bag 2 to the unit rear wall 4. It is possible to use bag chains with tear-off lines between the bags, a top bag of the chain being suspended, and fastened, in the mating snap fasteners 8 by way of its top snap fasteners 7, whereupon the snap fasteners 12 are pressed into the mating snap fasteners 11. Once a top bag has thus been fastened on the unit rear wall 4, the cover 5 is closed and the nose 39 is positioned on the outlet channel 19 and clamps the bag firmly along the bottom tear-off line. This makes it easier to sever the fitted bag from the bag chain and, at the same time, the contents of the apportioning chamber of the bag are held back.

[0027]FIG. 7 shows a side view of the dispensing apparatus with a discharge-prevention means 50. The latter comprises a clamping bar 51 which is mounted in a slot of the jutting-out portion 9 and is forced outward by a compression spring 52. The swing-action cover 5 is of shroud-like configuration and, on the side parts of the shroud, has edges 53 which can cooperate with the clamping bar 51. When the swing-action cover 5 is closed (position corresponding to FIG. 1), the edges 53 press the clamping bar 51 inward counter to the force of the compression spring 52, with the result that the front edge of the clamping bar 51 disappears behind the abutment wall 10. When, in contrast, the swing-action cover 5 is opened, as is illustrated in FIG. 7, the compression spring 52 forces the clamping bar 51 outward by way of its front end, which clamps the inserted bag 2 at its bottom end against the pressure-exerting pivoting part 33. This prevents product from being able to escape from the bag 2 even if the pressure-exerting pivoting part 33, as a result of the swing-action cover 5 being opened, has been pivoted out of abutment against the bottom end of the bag 2. When the swing-action cover 5 is closed, such a discharge-prevention means 50 is not required because the pressure-exerting pivoting part 33 then normally assumes its squeezing position and prevents contents from running out of the bag 2 unless the hand lever 30 is pressed and a portion of the bag contents is discharged. 

1. An apparatus for dispensing free-flowing product in a bag, having the following features: the bag (2) contains a supply chamber (16), an apportioning chamber (17), a through-passage (18) between the chambers (16, 17) and an outlet channel (19) and can be suspended in the dispensing apparatus (1); a squeezing device (3) of the dispensing apparatus (1) contains abutment means, against which the bag (2) butts, and hand-actuated pressure-exerting parts, which clamp in the bag (2) in the region of the apportioning chamber (17) and squeeze it out in the direction of the outlet channel (19); characterized by the following configuration: the abutment means, against which the bag (2) butts by way of its apportioning chamber (17), are formed by a stationary abutment wall (10); the hand-actuated pressure-exerting parts contain a hand lever (30), which is mounted such that it can be pivoted about a first axis (31), and a pressure-exerting pivoting part (33), which is mounted about a second axis (34); the pressure-exerting pivoting part (33) is arranged in a pivotable manner at a predetermined distance from the abutment wall (10) and, in dependence on the position of the hand lever (30), assumes a starting position or a squeezing position, it being the case that, in the starting position, the predetermined distance takes on a weage shape (42) with the thick end at the top and the thin end at the bottom and, in the squeezing position, the predetermined distance changes its shape (44) with the thin end at the top and the thick end at the bottom.
 2. The dispensing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the pressure-exerting pivoting part (33) is in the form of a non-symmetrical spindle in cross section, having an increasingly thin top end (40) and a thicker center (41) and a bottom, nose-like end (39), the increasingly thin top end (40) forming an elastic lip and the pivot axis (34) being arranged in the region of the thicker center (41).
 3. The dispensing apparatus as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that the first axis or pivot axis (31) of the hand lever (30) is arranged parallel to, and above, the second axis or pivot axis (34) of the pressure-exerting pivoting part (33), and in that the hand lever (30) has an actuating continuation (30 a) which interacts with the thicker center (41) of the pressure-exerting pivoting part (33) above the second axis (34) in order to pivot the elastic lip (40) in the direction of the abutment wall (40).
 4. The dispensing apparatus as claimed in one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the pressure-exerting pivoting part (33) is spring-loaded (36) into the starting position.
 5. The dispensing apparatus as claimed in one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the abutment wall (10) is part of a housing rear wall (4), and in that the hand lever (30) and the pressure-exerting pivoting part (33) are mounted on a housing cover (5) of the dispensing apparatus (1).
 6. The dispensing apparatus as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that the housing cover (5) is mounted about a third horizontal axis (6), which runs parallel to, and in the vicinity of, the bottom border of the housing rear wall (4).
 7. The dispensing apparatus as claimed in claim 5 or 6, characterized in that the housing rear wall (4) has, in the vicinity of the top border, two snap-fastener locations (8) and, on the abutment wall (1), two further snap-fastener locations (11) for fastening the bag (2).
 8. A bag with free-flowing product, in particular for interacting with the dispensing apparatus as claimed in one of claims 1 to 7, having the following features: two sheet-material blanks (2 a, 2 b) have an upside-down bottle- or pear-shaped outline and are welded to one another at their borders and over surface areas (13, 14, 15), there being formed a top surface-area weld location (13) as a fastening strip with snap fasteners (7), central surface-area constricting weld locations (14) for forming a through-passage (18) between a top supply chamber (16) and a bottom apportioning chamber (17), and bottom surface-area constricting weld locations (15) for forming an outlet channel (19), characterized in that the bottom constricting weld locations (15) are formed by two approximately rhomboidal surface areas, the larger base side of the rhombus being located on the outside of the bag and the smaller base side being adjacent to the outlet channel (19), oblique sides (20) of the rhombus, furthermore, leading in a funnel-shaped manner in the direction of the outlet channel (19), and in that the bottom surface-area constricting weld locations (15) have snap fasteners (12) for fastening the bag (2) on an abutment wall (10) of the dispensing apparatus (1).
 9. The dispensing apparatus as claimed in claim 5 or 6, characterized in that the housing cover (5) is of shroud-like configuration and has two lateral edges (53), and in that provided in the abutment wall (10) is a slot in which a pinching bar (51) is seated such that it can be displaced and is loaded by pressure in the outward direction, the edges (53) of the housing cover (5) forcing the pinching bar (51) into the slot in the closed position of the housing cover, with the result that the pinching bar (51) is put out of operation, whereas, in the open position of the housing cover (5), the pinching bar (51) forces the bottom end of the bag (2) against the pressure-exerting pivoting part (33) and thus provides a discharge-prevention means. 